Newly formed Newport Tidelands Committee has first meeting

What is the Newport Beach Tidelands Management Committee?

Role: To establish long-term goals for the city's tidelands, such as creating a capital improvement plan for the area.

Members: City Council members Mike Henn, Nancy Gardner and Ed Selich.

Meetings: It meets quarterly and had its first meeting Wednesday. Its next meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m., Sept. 18 at the Newport Beach Civic Center community room.

The recently reincarnated Newport Beach Tidelands Management Committee met for the first time Wednesday, tackling issues including the status of the newly created Harbor Fund and future budget plans for the city's harbor and beaches.

Now operating as an indefinite standing committee made up of City Council members Mike Henn, Nancy Gardner and Ed Selich, who all sat on the temporary ad-hoc committee that oversaw tidelands management, it will be subject to the Ralph M. Brown Act, California's open-meeting law.

The original intent of the committee was to establish long-term goals for the city's tidelands, and the new committee will stay on hand to see those goals out.

One of those goals includes the development of a five-year Tidelands Capital Improvement Plan that would budget funds for projects such as the Lower Bay harbor dredging, water quality programs, Balboa Island beach replenishment and the Marina Park project.

In addition, the committee discussed the status of the formation of a separate harbor fund, which would place the additional revenue created from the recent increase in city mooring, commercial marina and private dock owner fees into a fund that would only be used for harbor-related expenses.

The idea to create the harbor fund came about due to complaints that a large percent of tidelands revenues generated from boater and harbor fees were going toward non-harbor expenses such as beach lifeguards and beach maintenance.

The fund needs approval from the State Lands Commission, which is expected to come at its meeting today. Assistant City Attorney Michael Torres said he expects the commission to approve the fund as it is on the consent calendar, with a staff recommendation for approval.

The only stipulation is that if a loan in excess of $1 million is taken from the general fund and put into the harbor fund, the city must notify the State Lands Commission for approval.

Also established at the meeting was the decision to include a Citizens Advisory Panel of eight Newport Beach residents or business owners that will be appointed by the committee members. One of the eight panel members must be a sitting member on the Harbor Commission.

The advisory panel would have non-voting members, but would be asked to advise the committee on issues as they arise. Applications can be accessed at the city's website at www.newportbeachca.gov or picked up at the city clerk's office at 100 Civic Center Drive, Newport Beach.

The committee will meet quarterly, with the next meeting scheduled for 4 p.m., Sept. 18 at the Newport Beach Civic Center community room.

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